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Florida Democrats want senator removed for his comments about Hispanics

State Representatives Janet Cruz (D-Tampa), and Darren Soto (D-Orlando), requested that state Senator Alan Hays (R-Umatilla) be removed from the Senate Committee on Reapportionment he belongs to because of his recent statement that “many Hispanic-speaking people in Florida… are not legal.” His insensitive remarks created an uproar within congress members and the public alike. The Senator said: “Before we design a district anywhere in the state of Florida for Hispanic voters, we need to ascertain that they are citizens of the United States. We all know there are many Hispanic-speaking people in Florida that are not legal. And I just don’t think it’s right that we try to draw a district that encompasses people that really have no business voting anyhow,” were his exact words. These comments come on the heels of a Senate Reapportionment Committee being entrusted with the task to retrofitting district lines to reflect the latest census. Rep. Soto’s letter to Senate President Mike Haridopolis states, “I am writing to request that Senator Alan Hays be removed from the Committee on Reapportionment. This removal is requested based upon several anti-Hispanic statements made by Senator Hays… As a result of these statements, I have serious concern that our community will receive fair redistricting hearings while he continues to serve on the committee.” Similarly, Rep. Cruz wrote in her latest letter to Haridopolis that “more than a week has gone by since Senator Hays made his offensive comments towards central Florida’s Hispanics, and despite several concerns by both Republicans and Democrats, you have not acted.” She adds, “On behalf to he Hispanic citizens of Florida, I am respectfully reiterating my request that Senator Alan Hays be removed or resigned from the Senate Reapportionment Committee.” State Rep. Luis Garcia (D-Miami) wrote to Haridopolis and House Speaker Dean Cannon that he is “deeply concerned that as you prepare for this week’s Redistricting meetings, where Southeast Florida, home to Florida’s largest Hispanic population, will be the focus of discussions, that the uncalled for remarks by Sen. Hays against Hispanics remains unresolved.” According to the Pew Hispanic Center, “Orange County, where Orlando is located,” has a “Hispanic voting population of 166,000 or 11% of the state’s Latino electorate. Two-thirds are of Puerto Rican origins. Latinos account for 14% of the county’s voters.” As such, these insensitive comments from the state congressman are particularly offensive and, frankly, unprofessional on his part. We expect the proper sanctions placed so as to discourage and prevent him or anyone of his stature from using offensive language as this again.

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